Referee&#39;s stand



Feb., 1,1927. 1,616,395

A. 1 A. scHWAN REFEREE S STAND Filed May 4.-, 1926 Lamis/ 56% van Patented Feb. 1, 1927.

asians LOUISJA." SCHWZAN, OFFORT WAYNE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR 'IOfiay Gr.- SPAII'IQ'GrSr,

BROS., OF NEW YORK, NAY., A' CORPORATIONl VOIE'NEW'Y REFEREES STAND.

Application -iiied may 4, 1926.7 serial No. 105,663.

Mypres'ent invention relates to a referees' stand, such as may be us-ed particularly with volley ball, although the inventionV is not limited thereto, as the' same may be readily 5 usedjin any analogous game such as basket ball, for instance.

The principali object-f of the invention' is the provisionof a stand which may be'used to elevate thefreferee to a point where he can readily overlook the floor upon which thegame is played and correctly judge `ythe same. y

Another important object is the provision of suchav stand as above which will be sim- ]5 ple to construct, of' a strength suflieient to mak-e the device eflicient, and yet which may be easily and quickly folded into a compact package for transportation vor to a place of storage when the stand is not being used.

To this end the invention includes a platform upon which the referee may stand supported at its front and rearportion by legs hinged to the bottom of the platform, two of the legs supporting the platform forming a ladder so that the r-ef-eree may readily mount to his position, and the platform having at one end risers approximately waist high above the platform, with a guard rail attached thereto serving to keep the referee from accidentally falling from the platform.

The invention further includes the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter shown and described in the accompanying drawings.

I have illustrated a preferred embodiment in the drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of the device.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation'.

Fig. 3 is a plan view.

Fig. 4 shows the device folded.

Referring now with partieularity to the drawings, I have indicated at 1 the platform upon which the referee may stand, which lconsists of battens 2 having boards 3 secured thereto so as to form a natural platform.

Hinged to the rear of the platform 1 as by means of the hinges 4, I provide a ladder which consists of the legs 5 and steps 6 in the usual manner. kIt is to be noted that the boards 3 comprising the platform 1 rest on top of the legs 5 and the hinges 4 embrace 'both the ends of `theboards 3 andthe legs 5. i

Towards they front of the platform l I provide hinges 7 whichA attach the4 sameto front legs 8 having attachedthereto brace" 9 to give support to thesame.l It is 4to be noted that the hinges 7 are attached to the inside of the legs 81 and the underside ofthe boards 3.

A lower platform, comprising battens, 10 and surface boards l1, is articulatedto the: legs 5 as by means of hinges '12, the legs 5 being'provided with cut-away portions `as atV 13 within which portions the lowerplatformv l1: is adapted to fold when the device is not in use. When in use this lower platform rests upon the shoulders formed by the cutaway portions 13 in the legs 5, and the brace 9 in the legs 8. A brace is provided comprising a rod 14 having a right angular portion 15 penetrating the leg 8 and heldtherein by means of a cotter pin 16, and a longer bent rod 17 connected to the rod 14 as by means of a turn buckle 13. The legs 5 are provided with apertures 19 into which the bent ends 20 of the rods 17 are adapted to seat. In this position it will be noted that the brace effectively prevents the structure from collapsing, as it provides in effect a diagonal brace between the two sets of supporting legs.

Secured at the front of the referees platform 1 I provide upstanding parts or standards 21 pivotally .secured to the said platform as by means of hinges 22 so that. the device may be folded in a manner as will be more fully described hereinafter.' A. rod

23 connects the upper ends of these parts o and extends beyond the same as at 24. These extensions 24 are adapted to have connected thereto a member 25 designedto sustain the stand against the pullof the net, which sustaining member is preferably of substantially U-shape so as to enclose the referee when standing on the platform and prevent his accidentally stepping off the same. The ends of the sustaining member are provided with eyes which engage the lextended ends 24 of the rod 23. Pins'26a are provided to prevent the ends 26 from accidental removal from the extended ends 24 of the rod 23. The enclosing member 24 extends towards the rear ofthe plat-form and beyond the'portion on which the referee is to stand, and terminates in a loop 27, which maybe used to receive a rope, cable, or the lil{e`,`the other end of which may he attachedV to the wall of the gymnasium, or to av stake in the Oround when the `game is to heplayed out-ofdoors, K

i ropes and net having been removed, the

enclosing member 25 may he pulled hack'- s ward towards the steps which will fold' the uprights 21 down fiat on to the referees platform, the part 25 extending .down the steps. The lower ends of the braces are then removed from the sockets in the legs 5 whereupon the legs 8 may he collapsed against the legs 5. As this is don-e, the lower supporting platform 11 folds into the cut-away portions on the legs 5,A so that the The lower reach of the net entire stand is readily foldahle into a oompact package for transportation or storage,

as may be desired.

I claim:

LA folding r-efer-ees stand comprising the same, steps upon Vone set of legs form-v ing a ladder, and a lower platform hinged to one set of legs and having .its free edge engageahle with the other set of legs, said first named set of legs having cut away portions into which said lower platform may be folded. Y

2. A folding referees stand comprising a platform, two pairs of legs articulatedk to opposite edges of said platform, detachable and folding bracing means for said pairs oflegs, uprights hinged to the platform at one edge thereof yand foldabledown upon the top of the platform,and a' member hinged to said uprights and adapted to he connected to a fixed lsupport to preventy tipping of the stand.

In testimonywhereof, I afhx my signature.

L. A. sc HwAN. 

